Voting machine



' Alli- 18, l942- R. F. sHouP 2,293,669

VOTING MACHINE Original Filed March '7, 1939 MA //v i /A/rE/PL 00K *Y @la FIRS 7' CONTROL /V 7' E ELO CK IMI ||H""" il l1 H IHIlr Patented Aug. 18, 1942 VOTING MACHINE Ransom F. Shoup, Ardmore, Pa., assignor to The Shoup Voting Machine Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Original application March 7, 1939, Serial No. 260,289. Divided and this application August 1, 1940, Serial No. 349,365

8 Claims.

This invention relates to voting machines and more especially to Voting machines of the general type disclosed in the patent to Shoup, et al. No. 2,054,102, and this application is a division of applicants co-pending application Ser. No. 260,289 now Patent 2,259,590 dated October 21, 1941.

In some states or communities, the election law provides that in certain elections such, for eX- ample, as a primary election, a voter may cast a vote for his rst choice of one of a group of candidates and then if he desires, cast a Vote for his second choice from such group of candidates, the second choice being the voters preference after his first choice candidate receives sufficient votes to elect him.

In the event that a voter indicates a second choice without indicating a first choice, the law provides that his second choice shall be counted as a first choice for the candidate which the voter has indicated as his second choice. Also, in the event that the Voter indicates both his first and second choice for the same candidate, only his first choice vote is counted. The result of the election is decided by a compilation of the rst and second choice votes according to a predetermined formula.

An object of this invention is to provide in a voting machine of the type above referred to,

v mechanism which permits a voter to register a first choice and a second choice for a given office and which will separately register the number of Votes each candidate receives as a first choice and as a second choice, there also being provision for preventing a voter from operating the second choice registering mechanism until after he has operated the rst choice registering mechanism and for preventing a voter changing his first choice without simultaneously canceling the second choice made prior to changing his rst choice.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section partially broken away of a voting machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration thereof, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sections through the second control interlock illustrating the upper two Wedges therefor. v

In the following description, the reference characters used correspond insofar as practical with the reference characters usedin Shoup, et

connected to a counter, all as shown and described in said Patent No. 2,054,102. Also, each spindle is provided with a pair of arms 59 and 59 interconnected by a pin 59h to which is attached a draw bar 6|. The draw bars 6l pass between rollers 62 having their ends projecting into vertical grooves provided in a support 42 and being of reduced diameter centrally. Every fth roller 62 is provided with a central bore through which and apertures in the support 42 may be passed pin 63 for xing such roller against bodily movement. The rollers B2 between fixed rollers are capable of limited relative movement and each draw bar 6| is provided with a head or wedge 64 adapted to be drawn between a pair of rollers 62 upon operation of the spindle 38 to which it is attached through a draw bar 6I. Each draw bar is of reduced width just to the left of the head 64, so that it lies in the space formed by the reduced central portions of the rollers 52 to permit the ends thereof to contact with each other except when the head 64 is moved between them by operation of a spindle. The above arrangement corresponds to the spindle interlock of the aforementioned Patent No. 2,054,102.

Three spindles 38 in a horizontal row are used as first choice voting spindles and are labeled A, B, C to indicate that they are rst choice spindles. Three spindles in a second horizontal row and three spindles in a third horizontal row are used as second choice spindles and are labeled a, b and c to indicate that they are second choice spindles, with the second choice spindles of each vertical set being allotted to the candidates other than the one to Whom the rst choice spindle is allotted. rI'he interlock 42 is so conditioned that it will permit operation of only one first choice spindle.

A rst control interlock 42 and a second control interlock 42" are provided for co-operation with the first choice spindles and the second choice spindles in such manner that all the second choice spindles normally are locked against operation and upon actuation of one first choice spindle, the second choice spindles in the same vertical column with said rst choice spindles are released. Each of the two control interlocks is provided with the same arrangement of rollers as previously described, the rollers being designated 62 and 62" respectively. In Fig. 2, the

three interlocks are shown oiset in the plane of the drawing for the sake of clearness, but it is to be understood that actually they are arranged as shown in Fig. 1.

To the first choice spindle A is connected a pull bar Gla: provided with two arms, one arm having a head or wedge 64I and the other arm having a wedge or head Sali extending into the interlocks d2 and 42 respectively. To the first choice spindles B and C are connected pull bars 6| and 6i respectively, the bar i having a wedge or head 642 extending into the interlock 42 and the bar 6l" having a wedge or head 663 extending into the interlock 132.

The head 545| is composed of a section .060 inch thick and a section .020 inch thick. The head 6M likewise is composed of a section .060 inch thick and a second section .040 inch thick with both sections being of equal width (Fig. 3) Each of the heads 662 and tft?, is .060 inch thick and is of reduced width over a portion of its length so that such portion can lie in the space defined by the cut-out central portions of two successive rollers without effecting separation thereof (Fig. 4). one section of .050 inch thickness and a second section of zero thickness. The arrangement of the wedges in the two control interlocks and the permissible relative movement of the rollers is such that with the spindles A, B and C in unvoted position, each wedge has its thicker part interposed between two successive rollers and the permissible relative movement of the rollers is exhausted. When one of the spindles A, B and C is actuated to Voting position, the head or heads attached thereto are pulled into the position in which the thin portion thereof or no portion at all is interposed between the end portions of successive rollers.

Pull bars are attached to each of the second choice spindles. The pull bar Six connected to the spindle b of the second horizontal row has two arms, one of which has a head 644' of .040 inch thickness and the other of which has a head 654 of .020 inch thickness. The pull bar Si connected to the right spindle a of the second horizontal row has a single head 0155 in the iirst control interlock of .060 inch thickness, while the pull bar 6i connected to the left spindle a in the second row has a head &6 in the second controlV interlock of .060 inch thickness. The pull bar @im connected to the right spindle c of the third row is provided with two arms having heads ttl and Sill respectively in the rst and second control interlocks, such heads being respectively .040 inch and .020 inch thick. The pull bar Si connected to the left spindle c in the third horizontal row has a head in the rst control interlock, said head being .050 inch thick while the pull bar iiiz connected to the spindle Each of these heads, therefore, has in effect b in the third horizontal row has a head 6G53 in the second control interlock, said head being .060 inch thick.

' The end rollers of both interlocks 52 and ft2" are so set by pins 53 and e3" that the totalV relative movement of Vsaid rollers is limited to .060 inch and when the spindles A, B and C are in unvoted position, the heads Bil', 65H", 642 and 643 hold the rollers in rigidrelation so that no one of the second choice spindles can be actuated. Upon actuation oi the spindle'A, the thickerV portion of head Eifll is withdrawn from between successive rollers 52 and its thinner portion interposed, thus permitting relative movement of such rollers to the extent of .040 inch and the thicker portion of head Btl is withdrawn from between adjacent rollers 62" and its thinner portion interposed, thereby permitting relative movement of such rollers to the extent of .020 inch. Upon actuation of the spindle B, the head 642 is withdrawn from between successive rollers 62', thereby permitting relative movement of said rollers to the extent of .060 while upon actuation of the spindle C, the head 5&3 is withdrawn from between successive rollers 62, thus permitting relative movement of such rollers to the extent of .060 inch. Thus, upon actuation of any one of the three rst choice spindles, relative movement to a limited extent is permitted of adjacent rollers in either the first or the secon-d interlock or in both.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated the position of the various spindles upon entry of a voter into the machine. All of the second choice spindles are locked by reason of all available space in the two control interlocks being taken up by the heads 64I', 64|", 6:52 and 6133. Assume actuation of the spindle A, thus permitting relative movement of the rollers 62 to the extent of .040 inch and relative movement of the rollers 62, to the extent of .020 inch. Either of the second choice spindles in the same column with the iirst choice spindle A may now be operated, but only one of them. Assume actuation of the spindle b which will cause movement of the wedges 654i and Sile" between adjacent rollers 52 and t2. Since the wedge 644 is .040 inch thick and the wedge 641i is .020 inch thick, the permissible relative movement of the rollers 62 and 62" has been exhausted by the actuation of the spindle b just referred to. Likewise, similar conditions will exist with respect to the second choice spindles in either of the two remaining columns upon actuation of the first choice spindle of such column.

After actuation of the spindle A, none of the second choice spindles in the two remaining columns can be actuated since to each of said spindles is attached a wedge of greater thickness than the permissible relative movement of the rollers of the interlock with which such wedge is associated. For example, the heads Sl and 6158 are 060 inch thick, while the permissible movement of the rollers 62 is .040 inch when the spindle A is actuated. Likewise, the heads 5:35 and 649 are .|360 inch thick while the permissible relative movement of the rollers 52 is only .020 inch.

Also, after a voter has indicated his rst and second choice, he cannot change his iirst choice indication without first restoring the actuated second choice spindle to unvoted position. This is due to `the fact that after actuation of any second choice spindle, there is insufficient play remaining between rollers S52 or rollers S2 to permit entry of the wedges of the rst choice spindles therebetween.

Means consisting of horizontal bars E5, vertical bars 60 and cross members 6l are provided to cooperate with the arms 59 for returning all the voted spindles to unvoted position in connection with registration of the vote as fully disclosed in said Patent No. 2,054,102. Since the rst choice spindle straps cannot be returned to unvoted position until after return to such position of the actuated second choice spindle, the strap l is connected to the rst choice spindle A by the lost motion connection Sla shown in Fig. 1, such connection being provided with a spring tendingV to oppose relative movement of the spindle and strap, and similar lost motion connections are provlded. between the iirst choice spindles B and C and their respective straps 6i and 6I. This arrangement permits the first choice spindle to be returned to unvoted position with subsequent movement of the rst choice spindle wedges between the pairs of locking members E2 and pairs of locking members 62 when clearance is provided by movement of the second choice spindle wedges from between such locking members.

It is of course understood that various modifications may be made in the arrangement above described without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a voting machine, mechanism for registering iirst and second choice votes comprising a plurality of rows of spindles with each row containing a iirst choice spindle and more than one second choice spindle, means effective upon actuation of any iirst choice spindle to lock out the remaining first choice spindles, two sets of lockout members supported for limited relative movement, a set of wedges for (3o-operation with each set of lockout members, means connecting the rst choice spindle of each row to a wedge of at least one set of wedges, said rst choice spindle wedges being so shaped that when all the first choice spindles are in unvoted position the lockout members of both sets are in rigid relation but upon actuation of any rst choice spindle into voting position the lockout members of at least one set are capable of relative movement of predetermined extent, and means connecting each second choice spindle of a row to a Wedge of at least one set of wedges similarly to the iirst choice spindle of the same row for movement thereof by said second choice spindle between lockout members, said second choice spindle wedges being so shaped that actuation of any second choice spindle of a row after actuation of the first choice spindle of said row reestablishes rigid relationship of the lockout members.

2. In a voting machine, the combination according to claim 1 characterized by the means connecting the rst choice spindles to their respective wedges including a lost motion connection to permit simultaneous return of actuated first and second choice spindles to unvoted position with delayed return of the first choice spindle wedges between lockout members, and resilient means normally rendering said lost motion connection inoperative.

3. In a. voting machine, according to claim 1, means for simultaneously restoring all actuated spindles to unvoted position.

4. In a voting machine, the combination according to claim 1 characterized by the means connecting the rst choice spindles to their respective wedges including a lost motion connection to permit simultaneous return of actuated rst and second choice spindles to unvoted position with delayed return of the rst choice spindle Wedges between lockout members, resilient means normally rendering said lost motion connection inoperative, and means for simultaneously restoring all actuated spindles to unvoted position.

5. In a voting machine, mechanism for registering iirst and second choice votes comprising a plurality of rows of spindles with each row containing a rst-choice spindle and more than one second-choice spindle, means effective upon actuation of any first-choice spindle to lock out the remaining first-choice spindles, a first and a second set of lockout members supported for limited relative movement, a set of wedges for c-o-operation with each set of lockout members, means connecting a rst Erst-choice spindle to a wedge of each set of wedges, means connecting a second first-choice spindle to a wedge of said iirst set, means connecting a third first-choice spindle to a wedge of the second set, each wedge connected to said iirst first-choice spindle having two portions of different thicknesses and being arranged to have the thicker portion thereof lie between lockout members when said spindle is in unvoted position and to have the thinner portion lie between lockout members when said spindle is in voted position, and means connecting each second-choice spindle of a row to a wedge of at least one set of wedges similarly to the rst-choice spindle of the same row for movement thereof by said second-choice spindle between lockout members, the total wedge thickness between the lockout members of each set with all first-choice spindles in unvoted position being equal to the maximum extent of movement of the lockout members and being reduced upon actuation of the first-choice spindle of a row by an amount equal to the thickness of each secondchoice spindle wedge of the same row associated with said set.

6. In a voting machine according to claim 5, means for simultaneously restoring all actuated spindles to unvoted position.

7. In a voting machine, the combination according to claim 5 characterized by the means connecting the rst choice spindles to their respective wedges including a lost motion connection to permit simultaneous return of actuated rst and second choice spindles to unvoted position with delayed return of the first choice spindle Wedges between lockout members, and resilient means normally rendering said lost motion connection inoperative.

8. In a voting machine, the combination according to claim 5 characterized by means for simultaneously restoring all actuated spindles to unvoted position and further characterized by the means connecting the first choice spindles to their respective wedges including a lost motion connection to permit simultaneous return of actuated spindles to unvoted position with delayed return of the corresponding wedges between lockout members, and resilient means normally rendering said lost motion connection inoperative.

RANSOM F. SHOUP. 

